I just was at the NASA workshop on the Centennial Challenge Prizes in DC.

The big news from there is not only that NASA has really taken the X Prize lessons to heart (at least for the moment) but that Jeff Bezos is building a sub orbital system, that Elon Musk is going to eventually man rate some future version of his Falcon Rocket and there is a strong indication that Richard Branson is going to announce something on Monday.

Space Tourism is no longer the giggle inducing idea that it was four years ago. Its now one of the main factors in launch vehicle development. Great newsm BUT lets try and keep thing in perspective. Five years ago everyone thought that the LEO constellation market for Comsats would save the launch industry.

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